The
Pitt-River's
knife.
Flint
blade
and
carved
ivory
handle,
decorated
with
animal
figures
in
relief.
From
the
Late
Predynastic
period,
c.3250
BC,
from
Sheikh
Hamada.
This
is
a
superb
example
of
this
type
of
tool
which
appeared
in
the
late
Predynastic
period
and
were
probably
used
for
ceremonial
purposes.
The
blade
exhibits
on
one
side
the
delicate
pressure-flaking
typical
of
the
Late
Predynastic
flint
work;
the
reverse
has
been
ground
to
shape.
Rows
of
animals
are
carved
in
relief
on
the
faces
of
the
ivory
handle.
They
are
similar
in
style
to
those
of
ivory
labels
of
the
same
period.
The
animals
reflect
the
wider
range
of
fauna
which
lived
in
Egypt
at
the
time.
